This news is outrageous.
Dr. Saurabh SethiThe California gastroenterologist reveals three surprising reasons why you should leave bananas out of your fruit smoothie recipes.
“I often see my patients make this mistake.” Sethi shared on TikTok. This week, “Adding a banana to your smoothie may do more harm than good.”
Sethi said bananas contain high concentrations of Polyphenol oxidaseThis may reduce the amount of beneficial flavanols in the fruit blend.
Flavanols, found in blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and other common smoothie ingredients, have been shown to support heart and brain health. Reduces inflammation and Lowers blood pressure.
Research in 2023 A study published in Food & Function magazine found that adding a banana to a berry smoothie reduced the amount of flavanols by 84% compared to a control group.
“Bananas may reduce the effectiveness of antioxidants [of other fruits]” said Sethi.
Sethi also said that overly ripe bananas could increase the carbohydrate content of a smoothie, which could lead to the blood sugar spikes that characterize type 2 diabetes.
“Despite being a healthy fruit, bananas are quite high in carbohydrates and sugars, which are the main nutrients that raise blood sugar levels,” says Helen West, R.D., a registered dietitian. Written for Healthline.
According to the publication, a medium-sized banana (about 126 grams) contains 29 grams of carbohydrates and 112 calories.
West points out that green, unripe bananas have less sugar than yellow, ripe bananas. The calorie count is the samehowever.
Sethi says that’s too much.
“Bananas are high in calories compared to other fruits, so adding them to a smoothie may increase the calories,” Sethi says.
He adds: “If you’re serious about optimizing your health and nutrition, you might want to reconsider this popular ingredient.”
Consumer Reports Report A large banana contains about 120 calories and 16 grams of sugar, and 1 cup of strawberry slices contains 53 calories and about 8 grams of sugar.
But Jessica D. Bihuniak, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, argues that bananas don’t deserve their bad press.
It is rich in important nutrients such as dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.
“No one is going to get fat or develop diabetes from eating too many bananas,” she told Consumer Reports.
